Filing cabinet



June 12, 1945. C. VANl DoNK FILING CABINET Filed April 8, 1942 conwsuusATTO INVENTORMk HNA DoNK RNEYS Patented June 12, 1945 UNITEDv STATESPATENT vOFFICE 2,378,114l y j FILING CABINET Cornelius H. Van Donk,Green Bay, Wis@V l' .application April s, 1942, serialNol Isaacs r, 1c1aim. (ci. 31e-192)' y fp,

vMy invention refers to iiling cabinets having stationary drawers ortrays, and more particularly to Illing cabinets wherein a hinged topcover and a hinged front panel are included to lfacilitate access toflle contents stacked within the tray or drawer.

The object of my invention is to provide Asome means associated with thefront panel and cover, wherein said cover may be swung to open positionto free the front panel for independent manual swing. Thus, when thecover is open, the operator can readily inspect the file contents andseparate the same at the desired point for extraction of a document. Thefront panel is swung in the same manner as a book. Hence, the properindex tab is found, and the contents is opened at the proper place byoutward swing of the panel. It will be noted that under normalconditions, the front panel remains in a vertical position holding thefile material in a corresponding position for inspection 'of the index.

As far as I am aware, cabinet 'files of this general type areconstructed in such a manner that when the cover is raised, thefrontpanel is automatically tilted forward, and the le contents willalso'drop forward and rest upon the front panel in such a position thatthe iile contents or index is obstructed at the angle of vision. The manterial or contents will necessarily have to be swung back in order tovisualize the index, where- I by the contents can be readily inspected.

'I am also familiar with a cabinet wherein the tray or drawer ishorizontally slidable in and out,

Vthe cabinet having a swinging front panel under control of mechanismassociated with the top swinging cover, whereby the tray is undercontrol `of the cover movement, permitting manual swing of the frontpanel when the cover is open,

t andarranged with certain spring control, whereby the front panel isclosed incidental to closure the top cover.

It will be notedthat this mechanism primarily embodies a'movable orslidable drawer, which is expensive inl manufacture, and the lever andspring mechanism for controlling the movements is also complicated andexpensive, bearing in mind that springs inA their use for closingthefront panel, due to crystallization, lose their resiliency and arefrequently broken. Furthermore, the springs associated with rthe frontpanel, when weakened, fail to give the desired compression of the lecontents when the drawer is closed.

While the front panel in the above structurey may be manually swung whenthe drawer is distended, it should be borne in mind that even thoughthafront panel is capable of manual movement backand forth, thestructure is impractical front panel is capable ofswinging back andforth' independent of the top cover `to permit more clearance of thefile contents when the file is open for use, due to the fact that thefront panel does not necessarily remain inclined outwardly when the leis inu'se. The front panel may be swung closed to its vertical positionafter the document sought has been removed. f

Due to thefact that this type of iile is freoluently positioned at the'side of the operators chair. and the front panel is in open position,should theoperator desire to leave the chainii would be Vnecessary topush the file out f the way. Under such conditions, the front of a le ofmy construction would be manually closed, and the same condition wouldoccur in theevent that the le were flush with the front of the desk.

It is alsoapparent that the manual backward and forward movement ofsaidfront panel will permit the material therein to be readily nested` inits vertical position after each operation to fa.-l cilitate readyreference to documents.

Briefly, for accomplishing the desired function, I employ broadly anymechanical means associated withthe front swinging panel and the topswinging cover, whereby `the Lfront panel isl independently moved backand forth when the top cover is open. When the top cover is closed,movement of the same will positively close the front panel.

Hence, the mechanism for accomplishing this feature mayiembody any kindof llink. motion directly connecting the swinging elements, or somemechanism indirectly 'connecting the same.

With the above and nother objects in view, my inventionconsists incertain peculiarities of construction and combination of parts, as willvbe hereinafter fully set forth with reference to the accompanyingdrawing and subsequently claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a, diagrammatic sectional elevation of a filing cabinetembodying the features of my invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view showing a modiiied form of actuatingmechanism indirectly connected to the swinging cover.

Referring by characters to Figure I1 of the drawing, A indicates thecabinet having a bottom B and a front panel C and a swinging top coverD. The top cover is connected to the rear cabinet wall by a hinge lhaving a barrel extension 2, which isslidably mounted upon a rod 3carried by the top cover. The front panel C is provided with a hingepivot 4 at its lower end and is preferably formed with wings 5. However,any suitable slide hinge extension mounted upon a track maylbesubstituted for. the barrelextem sion mentioned.

As shown in this exempliication of my invention, the side walls of thecabinet have pivoted thereon bell crank levers 5', the arms of whichence to each other. It will also be noted when the cover is fully closedit engages the panel actuating lever and locks said panel in its closedposition.

Figure 2 of the drawing illustrates a modied form of my inventionwherein the actuating bell crank lever B is directly engaged by thecover D when the latter is closed, and said engagement is effectedthrough the adjusting bolt 1". The link 8. inthisexemplication.ofthernechanismis connected to. one armpf the bellcrank .andthe wing 5 ofthe front panel.

In this instance, the cover D is directly connected to the cabinet by a.hinge l. Hence, said are connected by links 6 to barrel extensionsof15'.. coveri'sfonly capable of swinging movement upon the hinge membersl. The other arm of each bell crank lever is connected by a pinltoa`lirrk 8',"th'e\ pin being slidable in a slot 9forme'dzattheassogciated end of the link. The other end of each link 8is pivotally connected to the front panel" C through the .winniv Inorder to permitfree Swinging'ainovement;of:`

movement is permitted throughs the: rod-an'd-- hinge Y. connection, butfthese. elements; form no partof my invention...

When the top cover isswung,downwardlyzin-its closed position, however;thefpin'.: 'l-v of.; the; bell.

crank lever. Eifr will engage vthe .rea-r.v end-oi?.-theslotA 9 and,thus,l positively; close.` the frontpanelggas: indicated in full linesin Figure 1.,

In order to provide a limited-adjustment1cf the closing movement .ofthe- 4panel; C,- ,I provide a set. screw l which .is adapted:torengagecthespin; l, whereby the. desired adjustment is had. to thus;

insure squeezing. or compression: of .the1'leicomy its hinge,asindicated in dotted lines. It will be noted that the top cover D, inthis case, is not connectedVV by links. to the swinging front panel, andit only serves as an engaging means for the bell` crank" lever E',whereby the front panel is positively.- closed; incidental to closure-aof thetop cover.:` Hence, thewfront panel.y may.4 be.xfr.e'elyev`swung...backA and forth when. thefcover isopen',l iti beingunderstood.that saidffronttpanel, in.v all infr` stances, isfrictionallyheld in.its nzianual.swingv ing .movement, itzbeing understood that thezpanelis limited in? its. extreme outward..l movement: by.:

stops; indicated at X, .Gr.- a-rryfotherl suitable. means..

It; should. be understood! that anyflever front. coveractuating. means,-in practice, maybe suit.. ably.y encased .to presentiV smooth iside;wallsffor thcf or decreased'whenthe' top `cover Dis swung dow-nawardlyto4 enga-ge thefupper. edge-of the panel.- 0.x.

This.- featurefis importan-t, bearinggin: mind when@ thecabi-net cell.is loaded: and the parts;v mayf 4D come loose, theyareethuscapableotzexertinggpresatents when .the cover is '.closed. It.is to.beunder; stood, however-,- that ,any mechanicalmeans forv such.adjustment may; beemployed.-

With particular:reference..tofFigure:2;. ittsho'uldr.

sureso Y asi to insurefproper closing;

WhileI have. shown several: formsf of mecha.;- nismior: accomplishing.the. desiredfresults; it; is; understoodv thatv I may. vary; such forms:withinf be notedswhemthe covertD is'.-svvunggopenr owing; 'latheknowledgeoftheskilled mechanicandwithinl.

to the-fact that the closing mechanism: of; the

panel issfreeffrom said fcoven,.thisspanelz-may be:

manually swung .to a-.p osition; asindicatedinl dot.- ted lines.` Thestack-of. recordscontainedkin .the

cabinet box, which. mayr be tightlyg packed=,-, are 1 then i loosenedso. thatt the:v operator -rnayiopenrthe same at anyy point and;swing,theforwardvolume inanangular positiom The indexesfatithis dif-- ing. thepanel backwardly; tof close; un: thestackz dded to saidz thescope of theclaim.

I. claim':

A filing; cabinet. comprising aabody,having.;ai`

top -cover hingedfto the bodyA adjacent to; its-rearf end and a frontswinging panel hinged. at .itsplowerl end: tf1-saidv body,lmeansroperatively connecting saidcover and .paneltogether including.' aAbell.`

Hence, .when the lid. is closedwshomd thestack; @ofthe Cover. and anadjustable pin extendinafromf be of increased. volumeffromfbackztofront,.the

panel may not closefullydueto theengagementof the cover against thegend-of; the. leverz'Cf. In

this event the adjustingyscrewl wouldibe man.-v

ipulated to permit full closureof.thewcoverand said; adjustment wouldalso permitsqueezingrof thevolume of. records from'backtofront, wherebythe cover and panel would be closed-.with-.referf-

